Proverbs 22
1 A [good] name is rather to be chosen than great riches, [and] loving favour rather than silver and gold.
Ibizo elihle liyathandeka kulenotho enengi; ukuhlonitshwa kungcono kulesiliva kumbe igolide.
2 The rich and the poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
Abanothileyo labayanga bayafanana ngalokhu: UThixo unguMenzi wabo bonke.
3 A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
Umuntu olengqondo uthi ebona ingozi acatshe, kodwa isithutha siyaphikelela singena enkathazweni.
4 The reward of humility [and] the fear of the LORD [is] riches, and honour, and life.
Ukuzithoba lokwesaba uThixo kuletha inotho lodumo lokuphila.
5 Thorns [and] snares are in the way of the froward: he that keepeth his soul shall be far from them.
Endleleni yababi kugcwele ameva lemjibila, kodwa onanzelela umphefumulo wakhe unqenqela khatshana.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Fundisa umntwana indlela amele ahambe ngayo, kuzakuthi esemdala kayikuphambuka kuyo.
7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Abanothileyo babusa abayanga, lalowo owebolekayo uyisichaka salowo omebolekayo.
8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap calamity: and the rod of his wrath shall fail.
Lowo ohlanyele ububi uvuna ukuhlupheka, njalo uswazi lolaka lwakhe luzakwephulwa.
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Umuntu ophanayo uzabusiswa, ngoba wabela abayanga ukudla kwakhe.
10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and ignominy shall cease.
Xotsha isideleli, lenkani ihle iphume; ukuxabana lokuthukana kuyaphela.
11 He that loveth pureness of heart, [for] the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
Othanda inhliziyo ehlanzekileyo, onkulumo yakhe ipholile uzakuba ngumngane wombusi.
12 The eyes of the LORD preserve [him that hath] knowledge, but he overthroweth the words of the treacherous man.
Amehlo kaThixo ayaluvikela ulwazi kodwa uyawadiliza amazwi abangathembekanga.
13 The sluggard saith, There is a lion without: I shall be murdered in the streets.
Ivilavoxo lithi, “Kulesilwane phandle! Ngizabulawa ezindleleni!”
14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
Umlomo wesifebekazi unjengomgodi otshonayo; lowo othukwe nguThixo uzawobokela kuwo.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Ubuwula bugxilile enhliziyweni yomntwana, kodwa uswazi lokuqondisa luzabuxotshela khatshana.
16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his [gain, and] he that giveth to the rich, [cometh] only to want.
Lowo oncindezela abayanga ukuze anothe ngabo, lalowo oncenga abanothileyo ngezipho, bonke bacina sebengabayanga.
17 Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
Lalela uzwe amazwi ezihlakaniphi; nikela inhliziyo yakho ezifundweni zami,
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, if they be established together upon thy lips.
ngoba kuyathokozisa nxa uzigcina enhliziyweni yakho, uzitsho kalula ngezindebe zakho.
19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made [them] known to thee this day, even to thee.
Ukuze ithemba lakho lihlale kuThixo, yikho ngikufundisa lamuhla wena ngokwakho.
20 Have not I written unto thee excellent things of counsels and knowledge;
Kangikulobelanga yini izitsho ezingamatshumi amathathu, izitsho zokweluleka lolwazi,
21 To make thee know the certainty of the words of truth, that thou mayest carry back words of truth to them that send thee?
ezikufundisa amazwi eqiniso athembekileyo, ukuze ukwazi ukupha impendulo ezilesisindo kulowo okuthumileyo na?
22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
Ungagegeleli abayanga ngoba bengabayanga njalo ungaphoseli abaswelayo entolongweni,
23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and despoil of life those that despoil them.
ngoba uThixo uzakuba ngumeli wabo abahlukuluze labo ababahlukuluzayo.
24 Make no friendship with a man that is given to anger; and with a wrathful man thou shalt not go:
Ungabi ngumngane womuntu ololaka, ungahambi lomuntu ozonda masinyane,
25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
funa ufunde izindlela zakhe uzingenise emjibileni.
26 Be thou not one of them that strike hands, [or] of them that are sureties for debts:
Ungabi ngumuntu ophanga ukwenza izithembiso kumbe onika isibambiso ngezikwelede;
27 If thou hast not wherewith to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
ungayiswela inhlawulo uzakwemukwa noma ngumbheda wakho olala kuwo.
28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Ungasusi ilitshe lakudala elomngcele elabekwa ngokhokho bakho.
29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Uyambona umuntu oyingcitshi emsebenzini wakhe na? Uzasebenzela amakhosi; akayikusebenzela abantukazana.
